‘5 Answers’ is a simple, no-frills written series where we ask five people one same question and share them with you, the readers. A quick read aimed to spark conversations and share perspectives.
I asked five people aged 5, 15, 25, 35 and 45 this question, “What’s your greatest fear?”
“I am five plus years old, not five years old. I scared of spider and cockroach and lizard and snail and grasshopper and and and scary things.” – Nurul
“It used to be dying but now with COVID, I’m more afraid to be alive and seriously ill. Like my life is over before it really begun. May sound shallow but I’ve never even stepped in a club before or gone to a concert. I feel like things are very different now than what I thought it would be. I had so many plans to travel, but now even if can travel, my parents won’t allow ’cause it’s too dangerous. I still would want to but I’m scared of being overseas and getting COVID. Although I’m vaccinated, I don’t know. Still feels very uneasy with so many cases everyday.” – Wen Jun
“My deepest fear is feeling that I’m never good enough for anyone. It screws me up, it makes me act and say things that are out of character. I’m still learning to be happy with myself.” – Amos
“Hmm… my greatest fear? Honestly, it’s never crossed my mind to rank them or anything, but there are a few. There’s the fear of not being able to provide for my parents, my family. In order to do so, I need to hold down a job that pays well but my reality is that having a job like that requires me to work additional hours which brings about a different kind of fear, sacrificing quality time with my family and missing out on the things that matter. It’s hard watching my parents grow older with each passing day and just constantly facing the dilemma of choosing between making enough money and spending time together. Frankly, I don’t even know what ‘enough’ is. I don’t even feel like I’m enough sometimes, like I can’t live up to expectations. The good brain knows it doesn’t matter, the shit brain says I won’t ever matter – it’s a struggle but I’m working on it. Even as I work, I deal with this nagging fear of missing out on better opportunities and prospects just because I’m ‘safe’ where i am. I want to put myself out there but it’s the ‘what if it doesn’t work out and i lose everything’ thought that holds me back. It’s contradictory, I know, but that’s what keeps me up all night sometimes. Aaaand the fear of falling seriously ill, more so than death.” – Vin
“I lost my husband 2 years ago to an accident. To be honest, that was my greatest fear. He was my pillar, I could always depend on him. When he was passed, I fell into depression. Looking at myself in the mirror made me sick, I couldn’t even recognize myself anymore. I barely ate, stopped cooking, stopped doing anything I liked and just stayed home for like 9 months. I didn’t want to be alive but I couldn’t die and leave my 11 year old behind. The support of my daughter, my family and my in-laws saved me. Now my greatest fear has only expanded to more people… I can’t imagine losing any of them.” – Jessica (alias)
What about you? What’s your greatest fear?
